Mikel Arteta may have to make up to five significant changes to Arsenal’s starting lineup for their away match against Bournemouth this weekend. While this situation is not ideal for anyone, it could be good news for some players, particularly 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.
Arsenal has suffered considerable setbacks following the recent FIFA Days. Both of their wingers, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, have sustained injuries, leaving their availability for the match against Bournemouth uncertain. Jurrien Timber is almost certain to be sidelined, and Thomas Partey will also miss out due to injury. This means that all three areas of Arsenal’s team will be significantly impacted.
On one hand, this crisis will undoubtedly pose challenges for Arsenal. On the other hand, it presents an opportunity for Arteta to rotate his squad more actively. The Spanish coach has faced criticism for being “lazy” with squad rotation, but given the hectic schedule this season, he will eventually have to adapt. In fact, he will need to do so in the next match.
The midfield will be the most disrupted area. Two of Arteta’s three preferred midfielders will be absent; in addition to Partey, Odegaard is also sidelined with an injury. This opens the door for Mikel Merino, the highly anticipated new signing, to likely make his first start for the Emirates club. The player from Real Sociedad has fully recovered from a shoulder injury sustained during his first training session with Arsenal, and now is the time for him to prove his worth.
The question is how Arteta will position Merino. In theory, Merino could fill in for Partey at the number 6 role. However, Rice has performed well in that position for the England team, so it’s also possible he will continue there, while Merino plays as an 8. Regardless, two of the three midfield positions are already accounted for, and the last one is likely to be occupied by Ethan Nwaneri, who is just 17 years old.
Nwaneri is making strong and steady progress. This season, he has made a total of three appearances for Arsenal, two of which were in the Premier League (against Tottenham and Leicester). In the other match against Bolton in the Carabao Cup, Nwaneri even found himself on the scoresheet. His performance for the England U19 team during the recent matches was also impressive, as he played three games, scored two goals, and captained the team in a victory against France.
Of course, Arteta could also use Kai Havertz in the midfield, a move he often made last season, but he may prefer to keep the German forward in his scoring role. Supporting Havertz from the left will be Leandro Trossard, who is also in great form. On the right flank, if Saka remains unavailable, Raheem Sterling could start, providing an opportunity for the Englishman to redeem himself after a disappointing performance against Southampton in the previous round.
In defense, with Timber unavailable, Ben White will have the chance to return to the starting lineup. On the opposite side, new signing Calafiori will continue to earn trust after impressive performances. Importantly, the steel shield in front of goalkeeper David Raya, the center-back pairing of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, will remain in place to ensure that any disruptions do not shake Arsenal’s system.